Ready 2 wear expo set to improve fashion industry 

Fashion designers, producers of fashion accessories and enthusiasts all gathered at the 10 Degrees Events Centre in Ikeja last weekend for The Ready to Wear (R2W) expo which is first of its kind. The three-day event which featured master classes, exhibitions and runway fashion shows was aimed at both upcoming and established fashion brands to rub minds and adopt best practices.

Declaring the event open, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Employment and Wealth Creation, Dr Yakub Basorun, urged fashion designers including others in the beauty sector to avail themselves in accessing the fund set aside by Lagos State for the creative sector.

Among the fashion houses showcased are Gravido Fashion, Binienu, Enigbi’s Concept Compant, LDA and The Wardrobe, which had simple and colourful wears including accessories. 

Founder, Gravido Fashion, Mrs Grace Tokunbo, who has over two decades experience in the industry noted that the R2W Expo was a necessity and would promote local enterprise and boost the sub-sector of the fashion industry. “The Ready-to-Wear sector of the industry, if developed and supported by good government policies, will reduce the huge amount of dollars spent by Nigerians on importation of garments into the country, thereby saving a lot of our foreign reserves. Being a labour intensive industry, it will reduce unemployment in the country significantly.” 

Founder of The Wardrobe, Mrs. Ade Awofeso, during a session on “Garment Making Process – The Critical Path,” educated participants on the need for quality control and adopting the business of fashion. She stated that it is important designers acquire basic equipment like Scanners, Laser Cutter, BOK, 3D-Machine and Marker Expert to help with bringing out clean cut designs that meets international standards.

The 2018 Expo also had awards given to distinguished personalities who have contributed to its success. They include, President of Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), Mrs. Funke Ajila-Ladipo, Engineer Leke Awofeso, Mr. Wole Ogundare, Mr. Eizu Uwaoma and Mrs. Funke Medun.